Mark Miller’s 100 Pound Weight Loss Success Story

How Mark Became Overweight

Being overweight and out of shape wasn’t something I had always been. As I often put it, my weight issues kind of snuck up on me over time. I was in the Marine Corps on active duty in my late twenties and was constantly working out. I took part in some of the toughest training the military offered. This strenuous exercise is what eventually caused my first knee injury. I had to go through a rehabilitation process and I wasn’t able to train as a Marine for 3 months. I started working as an EMT on an “as needed” basis. This job ultimately led me to my current career as a firefighter.

Four years after I left the Marine Corps, I re-injured the same knee. My youngest daughter had also been born which meant I had more responsibilities at home and less time to focus on my health. Additionally, I was suffering with some pretty traumatic back issues. I had to undergo a lengthy operation to repair two ruptured discs in my spine and my health just seemed to spiral downward from there. I was diagnosed with a significant hearing problem, my gallbladder had become problematic, my back was still in pain and I was dealing with extreme stress. I gained a majority of the weight over those 7 years; my highest weight was about 330 pounds.

A Change Was Needed

I felt like a ticking time bomb. At that point, I knew I needed to make some changes. I didn’t wake up one day and realize that I needed to lose weight. It was kind of a cumulative effect for me. I would exercise and notice it would make me feel good, so I’d take note of that and do more the next time. After I began to lose a bit of weight, I began to use Lose It!. It was really convenient to have all my progress in one place. I watched my weight graph on the program trending downward and that kept me really motivated.

Why Lose It! Worked

Lose It! kind of became my collection point for everything. The apps and devices that connect to Lose It!, especially, contributed to my success. Some of my favorite devices include FitBit band, Aria scale, Withings scale, and Strava. Once I began achieving my weight loss goals, it sort of became an incentive for me to do more. The badges and challenges were little accomplishments that helped me to stick to my plan. Overall, Lose It! was extremely easy to use and played a big part in helping me to reach my weight loss and health goals.

What’s Different About Life Now

I think losing weight has broken that negative cycle in my life. I was always dealing with health problems that debilitated me in all aspects of my life. Since losing 100 pounds, I’ve been a happier person with a more positive outlook on things.

Advice for People New to Lose It!

Track your fitness: Track your fitness through Lose It! or sync Lose It! with a fitness tracker and set goals. You can try to burn a certain number of calories each week or you could try to workout a certain number of minutes per week. Having a number to work towards will keep you heading in the right direction.

Become nutritionally conscious: You can exercise all you want, but if you are not eating the right way, you won’t make progress. It’s important that you really learn about proper nutrition and calorie intake to be successful.

Get the right gear: If you are runner or physically active in any way, it’s essential to have a solid pair of sneakers. Those will give you good support and comfort and help to prevent injury.